For most teams at Millburn this spring, battling for a playoff spot, winning a couple of games in the state tournament and contending for a conference championship would constitute a great season. But most teams in Millburn aren’t the boys tennis team.
The Miller boys have won 25 straight North II Group 3 state sectional championships, have captured the last two Group 3 titles, have been in the final four of the state during the last two seasons and have five of their seven starters returning from last season.
“We want to defend all of our state championships and get back to the big show and battle for the Tournament of Champions title,” said Millburn head coach Bill Wickenheisser. “We’re the Group 3 defending champs and state semifinalists in the TOC, and I think we’re stronger this year.”
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With senior Eric Cohen and sophomore Rob Xie returning to the top of the line up, Millburn appears poised for another trip back to Mercer County Park to defend its Group 3 title.
“They’re coming back stronger, but I’m sure the players from the other teams are going to be stronger,” Wickenheisser said. “What helps them out is that they know that all five spots can go out and win. That takes a lot of pressure on them, knowing they can go out and just play.”
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At third singles, senior Tristan Lane has taken over for Jared Wishnow, who now anchors the first doubles squad alongside Mack Johnson. Nicky Chen-Schmidt returns to second doubles, pairing with Alex Shipp.
Millburn posted a 24-7 record a year ago and fell to Chatham in the Tournament of Champions semifinals, 3-2. Chatham has moved into Millburn’s section and, along with Mendham, will be Millburn’s biggest obstacle in reaching the Group Championships for a fifth consecutive year.
Within the county and conference, which are essentially the same thing, Millburn was denied both a county tournament championship and a Super Essex American Division title by Livingston last spring. Coach Wickenheisser expressed some disappointment over how the county’s realignment two years ago, has affected Essex County tennis.
“Unfortunately the county’s athletics directors tried to do something unique and competitive, and in my minds and I think most minds, it kind of backfired,” Wickenheisser said of the county realignment. “It made the county tournament not special anymore.”
In an effort to promote competitive balance the Essex county athletics directors voted to separate the Super Essex Conference (created by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s statewide realignment) into divisions based on skill level. What it did is put all of the best teams in one conference to beat up on each other all season long, and made the county tournament more of a hassle and a formality than a meaningful championship.
With two matches per year, the county tournament, the Delbarton and Westfield tourneys plus a possible meeting in the TOC, teams from the SEC could meet up to six times in one season.
“They enjoy the competition, but they don’t enjoy it day in and day out with the same teams over and over again,” Wickenheisser said of his players.
Livingston and Newark Academy will likely be the two teams standing in Millburn’s pursuit of their first county championship in two seasons.
Millburn kicks its season off at home against Delbarton on Saturday.
